Method of producing starch of angular configuration.



A. W. H. LENDERS. METHOD OF PRODUCING STARCH 0F ANGULAR CONFIGURATION. APPLICATION FILED APR.29, 1914.

1 9 16 1 Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. W. H. LENDERS. METHOD OF PRODUCING STARCH 0F ANGULAR CONFIGURATION. APPLICATION FILED AFR.29, 1914.

1,168,516. Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Imwwtor THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPJI c0 WASHINGTON, D- c.

armpit.

ADOLPI-I W. LENDERS, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

METHOD OF PRODUCING SEARCH ANGULAR CONFIGURATION.

Specification of Letters Patent. P te m Jan, 1%, 19 g Application filed April 29, 1914. Serial N0. 835,066. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLrH W. H. LEN- DEBS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of'Linn' and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Method of Producing Starch of Angular Configuration, of which the following is a specification.

As at present produced, the starch is packed in a cylinder by means of hydraulic pressure, and then permitted to cool. .The contents of the cylinder is then ejected on a grating, and is broken up by means of sledge hammers, the broken up pieces falling through the grating onto a cutting machine, which cuts the larger chunks up into pieces of the desired size. The starch is then transferred onto curing trays, which are then placed upon a portable truck orwagon which is then wheeled into a kiln and left to cure. Then the curing process has been completed, it is taken out of the kiln and the trays are emptied upon a series of sorting shakers whence it passes to the packers to be packed ready for shipping, the process thus described producing a considerable amount of smaller particles of starch which completely. envelop the larger particles thereby preventing them from being cured; for in filling these trays the small particles of starch fill all the interstices between the larger lumps, with the result that the air does not penetrate sutiiciently to completely cure the larger lumps, and as a result they do not produce a lump having sharply defined edges atall, while even the largest lumps are too small to develop the larger forms desired. It follows, therefore, when they are delivered to the packers, the lumps are of ill-defined and indeterminate character, whereas, it is'well known when properly cured and broken up, they will assume various angular configurations which are exceedingly pleasing to the eye, and by curing a larger lump 1t w1ll produce larger forms.

My invention provides amethod which has for its object to cure lumps which are of such size that when followed, it will result in the production of large, well-defined lumps of starch, and has for its further object to provide a method in which thestarch is cured before it is broken up which is contrary to the present practice.

I have shown in the accompanying drawings a form of apparatus, which may be ,my improved method.

utilized to carry out my process, but I sup ply the same solely for the purpose of shoW- ng a concrete form of mechanism for utilusing my method, but not in any sense as a requirement that this form shall be used, as it is obvious from the following specification that many varieties and formsiof ap paratus may be employed to carry out my method.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawings, which are hereunto annexed and are a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1, is a side view partly in section of a form of apparatus designed to employ Fig. 2, is a top or plan view of the same. Fig. 8, is a detail view on the reverse side of the crushing die.

As shown in the drawings, 1, is the bin where the metal cylinder in which the starch has been pressed, is removed. The cylinder of starch 3, is dropped directly onto the cutting machine 4, which is located below the bin 1, and it is adjusted so as to get mostly large lumps, contrary to the present practice. These large lumps are transferred to a conveyer belt 5, which travels very slowly through the kiln 7. The kiln 7, may be constructed of sufficient length so that the starch on the slowly moving conveyer will be completely cured by the time it reaches the end of the kiln. Where it is not convenient to build a kiln of sufficient length to obtain this result, the kiln 7 may be provided with a plurality of conveyers which will operate to carry the starch from one end of the kiln to the other until it is cured. When it leaves the conveyer 5, the lumps pass down a slide 8, and under a die 9, which is preferably constructed, as shown, with a plurality of fingers 10. This die is brought down forcibly upon the lumps of starch with the result that it causes them to break up into a number of very beautiful shapes, none of which are indeterminate in character nor coated with powder. It is then carried by a conveyer, to a series of sorting shakers where it is divided into the different sizes for the different packages.

Although I have illustrated specific apparatus for carrying out my method, it will be apparent that no particular kind or form of mechanism is required, for this purpose, (and in fact the old practice of using trays may even be followed) but that any appaand ratus which will cure the lumps byithemselves, so that the air reaches all parts of the lumps While they arebeing cured and Which afterward breaks up the lumps into pieces of angular configuration having sharply defined edges, will bewithin the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described my invention What I regard as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is :7

1. The herein described method of producing starch in angular configuration, Which comprises cutting the cooled starch, from the cylinders, into lumps, placing the same in a curing kiln, so that the air can reach to all parts or" the lumps, then break ing the lumps thus cured into pieces.

2. The herein described method ofproducing starch in angular configuration,

which comprises cutting the cooled starch, from the cylinders, into large lumps, placing the same in the curing kiln, so that the air can reach to all parts of the lumps, then breaking the lumps thus cured into pieces.

3. The herein described methodiof producing starch Which comprises cutting an uncured starch into lumps to produce large and well-defined angular configuration, conducting the said luinps through a kiln, in which all of the surfaces of the lumps are exposed to the air, then breaking the cured lumps'up into pieces.

In testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification.

1 ADOLPH W. H. LENDERS.

l fitnesses '7 v A. M. DOUGLAS, H. A. HoRAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'ZPatents,

' Washington, D. G. I 

